Binding Tomorrow
by Sheamaru
Summary: When Hakkai is taken by a gang of demons he wakes up in a cell with a caretaker who's something different. The gang tries to find him with the help of a demoness who may be leading them into a trap. Can the gang get to Hakkai before something bad happens?
1. Awaken to Darkness

Hakkai woke groggily to the dark cold of some room he didn't recognize. His head pounded painfully as he tried to get to his knees, his throat was dry as well. The floor was cold under his hands and body. He tried to get to his knees but his arms shook and his head pounded painfully. He fell back to the frozen stone of the floor with his eyes closed tight. The impact made his brain throb even harder, and his body shake more. When he tried to open his eyes again his vision was blurred by the pain and his over all lack of energy. There was a light in the distance from him, but it was up, as if coming through the wall.

'_It must be a window. In the door._' Hakkai thought. He groaned and rolled onto his side away from the light which seemed a bit blinding now. The temperature made him cold, his body started to shiver in it's natural attempt to keep him warm. His brain didn't like that and started to pound with it's shaking. He reached up to hold it, in hopes of making his head stop hurting. He closed his eyes tightly and held his head as the sounds of voices came closer. Words couldn't be made out by his ears because his entire body was focused on keeping warm and the pain in his head. What had happened? He couldn't remember. The light streaming in through the small window was cut off by a body, he'd guessed, because the voices where just out side the door. They seemed so loud and booming, he'd wished they'd just be quite.

"This one's in your charge Rei. Got him from the Sanzo group, take good care of him and don't let him die!" a male voice shouted. Hakkai groaned and winced as the sounds echoed through the room.

"Hai," came the quick soft reply of a girl. Suddenly the door flew open and hit the stone wall, the bang echoed through the stone room, only further hurting Hakkai's ears. He felt as though they were about to start bleeding, that, or his brain would explode. There was the soft sound of rushing feet and then he felt someone carefully lift him into a sitting position. His body protested as it shook and his brain didn't like the sudden change in altitude. He tried to open his eyes, but they wouldn't budge.

A cool hand gently brushed his cheek and the stray hairs from his forehead. He felt warmth close around his shoulders and upper body. He could faintly hear movement through his pain and then was carefully lied back down. But his head didn't hit the cold floor like it had earlier; his head was lying in something warm and soft. It had a scent he could barely pick up, vanilla. It was faint, but comforting and fresh.

'_It must be that girls lap…_' Hakkai thought. His body started to calm in it's shivering. His head still pounded and ached painfully, he started to feel sick. Her cool hand pressed to his forehead, the pain started to subside but not disappear instantly. He knew it would take time even for someone who could heal right away. Once his body stopped shaking he didn't feel so nauseous anymore. His lips parted slightly and soon he felt something press to his lips. Slowly, water dripped into his mouth, the green eyed demon let it slip down his parched, dry throat. It soothed the pain away and his head rolled to the side. He held the soft blanket tighter around him to try and keep warm, the cell was very cold even now that he had something to wrap himself in.

"It's alright," she spoke softly to him, her voice was gentle and distant, though he was sure that was just because of his headache, "I'll watch over you. I promise."

Hakkai started to feel tired. The distant longing for sleep promised him the lack of headache and the comforting thoughts. He knew it would only turn to nightmares of his horrible past but at the moment he didn't care. He was too tired and too pain filled to want to do anything besides fall into sleeps warm arms. His eyes relaxed and he felt her arms gently rest on his chest, her fingers brushed against his cheek in a gentle gesture. He could only think of what was to happen when he woke up again. He pulled the cover closer around him to keep him safe from the cold as his thoughts drifted and sleep embraced him.


	2. The Lost Youkai

"Goddamnit!" Gojyo shouted as he slammed his hand into the tree trunk next to him. Goku looked up at the kappa from his spot sitting on the ground, Sanzo was sitting on a rock a few feet away with a cigarette between his two lips, "How the hell could we lose him!?"

"Easy, we were making camp, he was attacked at a blind point with none of us around to keep him safe, and his was kidnapped," Sanzo said in a rather plain voice. Gojyo looked at the 'priest' with an irritated look.

"How can you say it so calmly!?" Goku questioned from the ground.

"Because we're going to get him back," Sanzo replied, flicking the now spent cigarette butt to the ground. Gojyo glared at him.

"How are we suppose to find him with no leads?" he questioned. Sanzo looked at the half demon with a side glance.

"We'll just have to ask around," Sanzo said, "Let's get walking." He started walking towards the town they were headed for before this little mishap. Gojyo looked at Sanzo's retreating back then at the monkey sitting on the ground. Goku looked at the perverted kappa before he jumped to his feet and ran after the blonde monk. Gojyo growled as he followed them.

'_I can't believe we lost Hakkai! I knew one of us should have gone with him! Damnit!_' Gojyo thought as he fell behind the two. Hakkai sometimes seemed weak and vulnerable, but he defiantly wasn't. The demon was able to channel his chi into blasts and force fields to keep himself and the others safe. So how did he get taken in the first place? That was a question that none of them could answer.

"Maybe someone in the town knows something about a gang of demons carrying Hakkai off," Sanzo said. Goku looked up at him.

"Well yeah but what if the demons didn't go in this direction? Or no one saw anything?" Goku asked.

"Then we'll just have to think of something else," Sanzo said. Goku sighed and looked at the ground. Gojyo looked around the forest surrounding the pathway headed for the town, hoping to get there by sunset, which was just a few hours away. Something was following them now, he was sure of it. His eyes darted towards the tree branches, Sanzo and Goku stopped up ahead of him, he was sure they knew of it too.

"Must be another youkai trying to take another one of us," Gojyo growled out. Neither Sanzo nor Goku moved.

"Not exactly," came a voice. It was female and not a child either. She like a woman, around Gojyo's age. The movement the boys had heard had stopped as she appeared in front of them all. Her face in a smirk, "Hi there."

She was around Sanzo or Gojyo's age, her wavy blonde hair fell to around her shoulders if not just a bit longer. Her slim but not anorexic skinny figure was covered in black yoga pants and a black tank top. Her hands rested on her hips giving her a slightly cocky look. She peered at the boys with smug sea-blue eyes. Under different circumstances, Gojyo would have said something perverted.

"Who the hell are you?" Sanzo questioned.

"The name's Mika," she said, "and I'm here to help you out."

"We don't need your goddamned help," Gojyo spat.

"Oh, so you don't do you? Then where's your friend Hakkai?" she questioned in an all too pleasant way.

"I told you it was someone from that stupid gang," Gojyo glared. Sanzo's hand was already on his gun.

"No need Sanzo," Mika said, holding up her hands as if to defend from a possible oncoming bullet, "I told you I was here to help."

"Why would you help us?" Goku asked.

"Probably some fucked up attempt at a trap," Sanzo said his gun now aimed at the youkai.

"Maybe, but if it's so fucked up then what's the point in not listening to me? You'll simply out maneuver our guards, get your friend back, and leave. So why not make it sooner rather then later?" Mika questioned, her eyes not faltering. None of them answered for a second. What she said did make sense. If they just got there, made it to Hakkai, and got back out, there was no point in not accepting her help. It'd get the job done faster. Sanzo's gun dropped to his side.

"Alright, spill it."


	3. Talking About the Past

He didn't know how long he'd been asleep or if all of what happened before hand was a dream. He felt refreshed and in less pain, his headache gone but it was still very cold. He let out a shivering breath as he slowly started to wake from his deep sleep. His head was still resting on the girl's warm lap. His eyes slowly opened and he could faintly make out a concerned face. He closed his eyes and let out another soft breath before he tried again. His green eyes blinked a few times before he was able to make out her face.

She had long brown hair that spilt over her shoulders as she hunched over to peer into his face. Her eyes were a warm and concerned shade of deep blue, sparkling in that way some people had when they were genuinely happy about something, or just life in general. Her skin seemed light even in the dark cell, and her gentle smile was comforting to Hakkai, even though he had no clue where he was or who she was.

She reached up to tuck her hair behind her ears as she blinked, Hakkai drew in a breath.

"Are you alright?" she questioned. He couldn't really feel his body, it was still cold in this cell.

"Y-Yes…fine…" he replied to her weakly, he coughed a bit and she looked away from him.

"Here, drink some water, it should help," she said. She carefully held the bowl to his mouth and let some of the liquid spill between his lips. He swallowed it gratefully and carefully so he wouldn't choke. She set the bowl down next to him before lightly brushing some hair from his face again. Hakkai didn't want to, or couldn't, move just yet. He did manage to pull the blankets tighter around him before closing his eyes again.

"Who are you?" He questioned, thankful that he was talking alright again.

"My name's Rei, I've been taking care of you," she told him in a tender voice, "You're name is Cho Hakkai, right? You travel with Genjyo Sanzo?"

"I did…before I was brought here…" Hakkai said, he paused for a while, "Where is _here _exactly?"

"Oh, you're with the Kuramato Clan," Rei told him. Hakkai closed his eyes and let his head roll to the side. He took in a few more breaths before he opened his eyes halfway.

"Why?" he said softly.

"It's a trap, for your friends," Rei said. Hakkai moved his deep green gaze back to her face. She was looking at the cell wall next to them now, her eyes no longer on the youkai.

"A trap?"

"Yes, to kill Genjyo Sanzo, and the youkai traitors, Sha Gojyo and Son Goku," Rei told him, turning her warm gaze back to him.

"Why not…kill me too?" Hakkai questioned. Rei shook her head, telling Hakkai she was not sure why. He took in a breath and let it out before looking back towards the cell door. He could hear footsteps coming, and soon enough the door flew open and banged on the wall.

"He alive?" came the same voice Hakkai remembered from earlier. Rei nodded and soon the huge figure strode over to them. Hakkai looked at the towering demon with his good eye, his other hidden by his hair. The light from the doorway behind shadowed most of the monster's features. Suddenly Hakkai groaned and grabbed his stomach as a foot came in contact with it. Rei gasped and held Hakkai's shoulders, "Look. He's awake too."

"Leave him alone!" Rei shouted as she moved before Hakkai, she carefully moved him onto his back and checked for anything. Hakkai knew it was nothing serious, but it had hurt.

"Don't get attached Rei. He'll end up just like Shoji," the male said before he headed out of the room. Rei glared over her shoulder at him before looking back at Hakkai.

"Are you alright?" she questioned. Hakkai looked at her and gave a polite smile.

"Yes, fine, just caught off guard," Hakkai told her reassuringly. Rei nodded and helped him into a sitting position. The cover stayed draped around Hakkai's shoulders as he released his stomach, the pain already fading.

"I'm sorry. That's one of the main guards, he's a real jerk," Rei told Hakkai.

"I guessed as much," Hakkai told her, still giving her a reassuring smile. Rei smiled back softly.

"Can you stand?" she asked, Hakkai nodded. She carefully helped him to his feet, he was unsteady at first, his legs shook and he felt unbalanced. But after a few moments he was able to stand and walk alright. He moved over to a bench against the wall and sat down, Rei seated herself next to him. Both stayed quite for a moment, before Hakkai spoke up.

"May I ask, who is Shoji?"

Rei stayed quite for quite sometime. He thought he'd delved too deep for such a first real meeting.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't ha-"

"It's alright," Rei said, giving him a soft smile, "Shoji was someone much like you. Taken prisoner by this clan. I was charged to watch him and soon fell in love. But when we tried to escape together, Shoji and I were caught. He was killed and I was brought back here to work."

"Oh…" Hakkai said, looking at his hands in his lap, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright…" Rei told him, lightly touching his hand, "It was a long time ago, and Shoji wouldn't like me dwelling on the past."

Hakkai looked up at her, seeing her smile and sparkling blue eyes. He smiled gently in return. It had seemed so easy for her, to just be like this after losing someone so close. It wasn't for him and he had nightmares of it every night. He wished it could have been this simple for him, but it wasn't. The past was just something he couldn't forget.


	4. Conversations

The small group of four sat around a fire on the side of the pathway headed for the village. Gojyo glared at the new found demon with an intense hatred, Goku mostly was concerned about Hakkai and his stomach of course, and Sanzo was the one listening and ready to shoot. None of them got the idea that Mika was lying to them. The way she looked and spoke didn't give them the clue if she was telling them the truth. Or Hakkai was already dead.

"So the Kuramato group is the one that took Hakkai?" Goku questioned when Mika had finished.

"Yep, he's in their broken down ruin of a castle just on the outskirts of the next town," Mika replied, looking at Goku with sea-blue eyes. The monkey looked back into them, as if trying to tell if it was a lie or not. But her eyes looked like Sanzo's did; you couldn't really tell if he was lying so you just had to hope he wasn't. Though, sometimes none of them could tell if Sanzo _was _lying or not.

"So wait, if they're after our heads wouldn't Hakkai be dead by now?" Gojyo spoke up.

"I don't know. The orders I got never said Hakkai was going to be killed. Just captured," Mika said. Sanzo crossed his arms and took a long inhale from his cigarette, the smoke leaking from the side of his mouth.

"So we have to get to Hakkai before he's killed?" Goku questioned. Gojyo hit the monkey upside the head with a fits.

"Isn't that obvious!?" the kappa yelled. Goku held his head and looked at Gojyo with a 'You didn't have to hit me!' glare.

"We can't go any where, it's already night and we need to rest," Sanzo said. Gojyo and Goku looked at him.

"What?" Goku asked.

"How can you think about resting at a time like this? Hakkai could be getting tortured or something!" Gojyo snapped.

"Think about it this way, if we get there tired then we'll just get ourselves and Hakkai killed. Besides, he can fend for himself for another night," Sanzo replied, putting out his cigarette in the grass.

"You'd better be right," Mika said, "The Kuramato Clan shouldn't be taken lightly. Though he will have a caretaker."

"Care taker?" Goku questioned. Mika gave a nod as she stood up, brushing the dead grass and dirt from her black pants.

"Yeah, there are several prisoner caretakers with the group. Unlike other youkai gangs, the Kuramato don't just kill off the weak or murder their prisoners. But they sure as hell don't treat them like kings. Hakkai's got someone there taking care of him but with this cold…" she reaches up and rubbed her upper arms in an attempt to keep warm, "…he'll freeze to death if he get any caretaker besides Rei."

"Rei?" Gojyo questioned.

"Who's Rei?" Goku asked. Sanzo looked at the now standing demoness with a look that stated she gave an answer or she was killed. Even if it was something small, he didn't like how smug she was and didn't trust her.

"Rei's the best caretaker they've got. No one dies on her watch, not if she can help it. All the others just do the minimum to keep the hostages alive, and if it gets cold they'll steal the guys blankets to keep themselves warm. But Rei…" Mika looked off in the direction of the castle, "Rei's something different. She'd let herself freeze to death before she let your friend die."

All of them stayed quite for a moment. It wasn't clear to Mika if they were hoping their friend got Rei, or if Hakkai was getting tortured by some demon just to freeze to death before they got there. Gojyo's cigarette was burning away as he stared off at the ground. Goku was sitting Indian style with his chin resting in his hands. Sanzo merely watched the fire as it crackled and they all sat in silence.

"I should head out," Mika said, she started to walk off.

"Hey now," Sanzo spoke up, turning his gaze from the flames to the girls retreating backside. Mika turned to face him, her arms crossed in the attempt to stay warm, "We need you to lead us to that castle."

"That's right, if we take too long getting lost then Hakkai could be dead before we got there!" Goku said. Gojyo's left eye brow twitched at the little comment that they'd get lost without Jeep and Hakkai. Then Gojyo blinked.

"Hey, what happened to that little dragon?" He asked. Sanzo and Goku turned to look at him with two confused blinks before it registered in their minds. Hakkai's dragon, that thing went every where with the youkai. Did they get separated or something?

"That thing followed Hakkai all the way to the castle," Mika said, "almost got itself killed because it wasn't supposed to go in with him. I think Rei granted it pardon but it had to stay out of Hakkai's cell."

"That guys gonna freak out if he's away from Hakkai for to long," Gojyo said. Goku nodded and Sanzo blew out a puff of smoke, both showing they agreed.

"I'm sure she'll get it in to Hakkai before you get there." Mika told them. Gojyo tossed his spent cigarette into the fire and watched it burn.

"Well, you're staying with us until we get Hakkai back," Sanzo said looking at her. Mika put her hands on her hips.

"And what gives you the right to say that?"

"The fact that you're out numbered, Miss. High-and-mighty," Gojyo said looking at her casually through his red hair.

"So what happens when you get your friend back?" Mika asked, sitting down next to Goku and Sanzo. Sanzo looked at her with a serious expression.

"Then we kill you."


	5. Reunion

Rei had left Hakkai about an hour before night fall. He sat on the bench with the cover wrapped tightly around his shoulders and his body noticing how the temperature dropped as the sun descended into the horizon. He'd started shivering again, but it wasn't as bad as it had been. He could see his breath as he exhaled the warm air into the cool air of the cell.

She'd promised him that she'd be back in an hour or so with some food and water if he'd like. He told her she didn't have to go through all the trouble, he'd be fine. But she insisted before she rushed out of the room. So Hakkai sat here and waited for her for nearly an hour and wondered if he should get worried or not. Surely she could handle herself but, really, she'd been so nice to him he felt the need to at least worry about her a little bit.

Then the youkai heard the soft rush of feet headed down the hall way. There was soft breathing that was rather quick before it stopped just outside the door. He looked towards it and could make out Rei's brown hair as she fumbled with the keys. The lock clicked open and she carefully opened the door, stepping inside and shutting it behind her. Hakkai blinked as she turned around, there was a large bundle in her arms, it looked like a blanket, but he wasn't sure what was in it. He looked back up to her face and she was smiling.

"I've brought you something," she said. Something in the bundle moved and Hakkai tensed up a bit, unsure if what was in there was good or bad. She carefully pulled away the blankets and Hakkai relaxed once he saw what was inside.

"Jeep!" Hakuryu cheeped as he poked his head out from the bundle. Rei giggled and whispered to him.

"Be quite now!" she said.

"Little one!" Hakkai said as the small white dragon leaped from the bundle and flew over to him. Hakuryu landed on his arm and nuzzled his cheek with Hakkai's. Hakkai reached up to pet the tiny what dragon with a gentle hand. Hakuryu leaned into his master's touch while making a small sound that came out as something like a purr. Rei giggled.

"I thought you'd like to see each other," she said as she walked over. She set the rest of the bundle down on the bench and started pulling food from it.

"I thought I'd lost you," Hakkai said.

"He followed us all the way here. Someone would have killed him but I told them to leave the little guy alone," she said. Breaking off a piece of bread she handed it to Hakkai. He let Hakuryu take a small bite out of it before he ate some of it himself. He'd thought for sure his little friend had gotten lost or killed, or maybe had even stayed back with Sanzo and the others.

"Thank you," Hakkai said, Hakuryu moved over to his shoulder as Hakkai looked at Rei, "For everything you've done."

"It was really no trouble," she said and smiled up at him. She handed him a glass of water along with some of the other food she'd gotten. There was some meat, bread, and apples in the little bundle. Also, the bundle would double as a second blanket for Hakkai for the night.

Hakkai, Rei, and Hakuryu enjoyed a fun little meal together. Hakuryu snapped at whatever food Hakkai was giving, showing that he too was hungry and hadn't eaten. Rei giggled as the Hakkai tapped the dragon in the nose with a firm 'No.' only to let the little guy have a bite of the food moments later.

"You two are so close," Rei said as she finished a piece of bread and meat. Hakkai looked at Rei with a smile.

"Yes, I suppose so," he said, "I take good care of him. And he always stays by me and usually listens to what I say."

As if on cue Hakuryu snatched a small bite of the apple in Hakkai's hand. Hakkai looked at him with a slightly shocked face. The dragon swallowed it and then looked at his master with an innocent blink. Rei was holding back giggles; Hakkai just looked at the little thing as though it had just spoken. Then he laughed, and Rei did as well, Hakuryu smiled, figuring he was off the hook.

Rei stood up and shook out the blanket of its bread crumbs and little pieces of meat before she wrapped it around Hakkai's shoulders, also draping it gentle over Hakuryu, who looked at her and blinked. Hakkai also turned his green gaze up to her.

"Don't you need a cover, Rei?" He questioned, not wanting her to freeze.

"I'm sure I'll be alright, besides you need it more," she said. Hakkai shook his head.

"I can't just take two blankets while you have none," he protested. She laughed a bit at the argument.

"Well it'll be warmer if you have two instead of each of use having just one," she said. Hakkai sighed and looked to the ground, he didn't want her getting sick or cold because of him. Then he looked back up at her.

"We'll share then." He said. She looked at him and blinked her shimmering blue eyes.

"Share?" she questioned. Hakkai sat on the ground and tugged the blankets around him a bit more.

"Come here." He said. She walked over to him, "Now sit down." He told her. She sat down to the left of his legs. He wrapped his arms and the blankets around her and pulled her back to lean against his chest. A blush rose to Rei's face as he did so, Hakuryu chirped and flew over. He snuggled himself in Rei's arms, "See, this works, right?"

Rei nodded with a soft, "Mmhm." Still blushing. Hakkai closed his eyes as he gently held her against him, his warm arms and the blanket around him and her. Rei soon followed as all three of them drifted into a light sleep.


End file.
